2nd Stop on the MIGF train

After the first stop, I made an appointment with Lyrical Lemongrass for the second stop. Since it will be her first try, I will let her choose where we go (and she bounced around with it for a few days before deciding): Gobo Upstairs, here we come!

Since Traders Hotel was just next to KLCC, I just walked 1 km to arrived at the venue. Only LL beat me there since she left before the jam started. Then Precious pea, Joe and FatBoyBakes (accompanied by his partner) arrived. Problem was, when one opted out, everyone opted out, except me. God, I really need to make these guys jealous of menu. I think Chef Christopher menu did make some of them go a bit green when they saw what I had.
Appetizers: Tomato x 3 --- Dukkah Spiced Tomato Terrine with Feta Cheese, Iced Yellow Tomato Gazpacho, Warm Semi Dried Tomato Tart
I christen this dish, 3 bites to start since all of them are best had in 1 bite.

Starting with the terrine, I love the layering of soft and firm slivers of tomato with flakes of feta cheese when you roll it around on your palate (I noted that the description of the indonesian layer cake sounds a bit off but perhaps a more apt description would be a cross-section slice of lasagne). Tastewise, the tomatoes here are much more acidic that is easily mellowed by the salty feta cheese.

I am not a big fan of Gazpacho in general but I will admit that this one came off as one of the better executed ones. It is probably middled-bodied, which is why you get a very mild taste that is very distinctly tomato-ey.

At first glance, the tart probably resembles a hors d'oeuvres more than a tart (so they were titling this figuratively?). It has a crunchy base (good in my books), and the layers of tomato has a scent of sweetness (not as sweet as sun-dried tomatoes, maybe they need more time in the sun?)


Starters: Black Ink "Spinosi" Tagliatelle with Octopus Merlot Ragout and Green Asparagus
The black ink is the traditional squid ink, which is used to dye the Tagliatelle black and added savory depth to the ragout. On the whole, this dish continues to build on the menu pretty strongly with the sauce and garnishing sticking to the tagliatelle's surface like a coating. Some of my fellow dinners may think I was eating black ribbons with red confetti.

Because of the squid ink, the ragout didn't overpower the tagliatelle and both of them complemented one another (sort of like opposites that don't clash, which is a paradox that happily does not exist in dining). When you taste it, you get the hit of a ragout that tasted savoury with hints of sweetness (from the Merlot) while the tagliatelle becomes like a canvass acting as a black hole that seems to suck in the flavours and throws them onto your tongue when you bite the pasta and you literally explode at times when you finally sense what has been dropped onto your tastebuds.







Mains: Chargrilled Australian Beef Tenderlon with Garlic Confit, Lentil's Fava Beans and Fresh Mushroom Ragout
As the other floggers' mains rolled in, I will admit I was jealous at their portions (except for lyrical lemongrass) until mine came along. Then and there I proclaim to myself: I don't care much about the floggers' bigger, badder a la carte menu, mine is prettier.

On first glance, a very very tall piece of meat. With my first cut, you can still see the that it is blood red on the inside (with the meat done to my favourite preference, medium rare). Cutting the meat still takes a little bit of effort (but I am not a dainty person like FBB). In one bite, moist tender meat that will break up the moment you chew on it. The sauce was very good (I forgot to ask Chef Christopher if this sauce is specially prepared) There were hints of roughness throughout the dish. The garlic confit although cooked to softness was a bit raw at the center so you get some astringent-ness now and then. The vegetables were pretty soft and the lentils were cooked to the point of breaking up and still firm as to not turn into some kind of mush.





Dessert: Chocolate, Chocolate and Chocolate --- Orange Cream Brulee, Truffle White Chocolate Ice Cream, Warm Walnut Chocolate Pudding, Raspberries Mousse Cake
Now this is a dessert of write a thesis about: Just about everyone of them is a slam dunk combo. I definitely ended my evening on a high.

Starting with my favourite: the warm walnut chocolate pudding. It was a bit dry but I can't get the nuttiness out of my tastebuds from the very first spoon (Thank god I saved this for last before I tried the pralines), more nutty than chocolaty.

Moving on to the white chocolate I's-cream-ing with caramel strip. No vanilla accent, just pure white chocolate flavour in your mouth. I also like the caramel strip that decorated this dish. Like looking at a one strip of vine unwinding itself from a gorgeous white flower bud that is melting under the harsh glare of lighting. (This is probably where I will cry since my Ice Cream started melting before I even started on the dish because everyone was busy taking pictures of this dish. *Sob!* Next time, buy your own festival menu and take the photo of it, not mine!!!).
The raspberry mousse cake has a very overpowering raspberry filling inside so you just have this hit and wham! it is over in a flash, with some lingering aftertaste mixed in with thick chocolatiness. The orange creme brulee was the first one I tried and I am glad to say that it was up to par with a strong overture of oranginess in one gulp.

On to the 4 surprise surprise pralines that I got. The chocolate and pandan praline was my first taste and once you get past the chocolaty outside, pandan freshness just engulfs your mouth until your tongue is just swimming in a pandan ocean and you open your mouth gasping for fresh air.

The ginger sesame seed praline was also very potent but not as overwhelming as the pandan praline. I love the crunch of the sesame seeds for the texture while you lap your away around a ginger sea.

The cake was a bit of a humdinger after the first two praline so I couldn't recall much at this point to write home about save for the moistness and down to earthness chocolatiness (god! how many times I have started with chocolate in this review).

To FFB, the white thingy on the right is the bitter almond torta (now we know what it looks like). It doesn't taste chocolaty (comparing with the 3rd praline) but somehow manages to convey a completeness to the whole dish with a zinginess that I have yet to describe. Maybe you can try it and tell me, FBB.

Chef Christopher Chin managed to pry himself away from his office to answer a few queries on the festival menu, especially the praline fillings. Have also asked him to pass my compliment to his pastry chef for an excellent finish.

Awaiting more feedback on my food reviews, Say it so in the comment section.